Readers of this blog will know that from antiquity onwards, philosophers, rhetoricians and cognitive scientists have examined the use and abuse of metaphors. More recently, they have also begun to …

If we want to figure out the proper way to control A.I. models, we need to recognize what they really are.

Algorithms began as simple mathematical procedures, but today they shape what we see, buy and believe.

Six more Welsh English words and phrases have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

In the early 2000s, during the dramatic but now almost forgotten outbreak of foot and mouth disease in cattle, I wrote about war metaphors and the issue of projecting control over an ‘out of …

The year’s most popular slang reveals what young people think about artificial intelligence – and it’s not positive

Why do we love the mountweazel (and what is it)? Who was the original twerp? How did timeline constitute a two-for-one bargain? Join editors Fiona McPherson and Craig Leyland as they dive into some of...

The extreme right has learned to navigate Germany’s strict laws on extremist symbols

When I moved to York I thought everyone sounded like a cross between Sean Bean and Mel B. But now the north’s linguistic richness really is being flattened, says author Zahaan Bharmal

Rob Drummond talks to Michael about the ways people talk in Manchester.

I've had some pretty special rejections over the years, but this one, received at 16:51 on a Friday (today) has shot to the top of my all time Hall of Fame. For context, Georgina Brown and I put a pro...

At the beginning of the week (14 September 2026), I woke up to a collision of two AI discourses, one where President Donald Trump wants to win the AI race and another where Dario Amodei, the head o…

Static definitions of “rizz,” “goblin mode” and “beige flag” don’t easily explain the words’ meanings. But we could use reference formats that do.

New research charts how preferences have changed over the past 45 years, and where they stand now.

In-person <em>emagazine</em> Conference for advanced level students.&nbsp;<strong>ON SALE 10AM WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER. SEE BOOKING DETAILS FOR HOW TO BOOK.</strong>

Not even experts can agree on what the term means.

New study suggests ancient campfires may have encouraged our ancestors to develop language.

Words from internet slang, artificial intelligence developments, sustainability, global cuisine and health were among the new entries.

The comments were made in the band's new documentary 'Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger'.

Michael Rosen talks to phonetician Jane Setter about women's voices.

Join us in person to explore fresh ideas, share perspectives and join the conversation about the future of English education!

What you need to know to start teaching AL English Language for the first time. <em>NB: This is a repeat course.</em>

Michael Rosen explores the impact of the Norman invasion on the English language.

On social media, the algorithm drives which words go viral. TikToker and writer Adam Aleksic (@etmologynerd) argues that what we consume on platforms is changing our language on and offline.

A survey on attitudes towards accents suggests that so-called "accent bias" is still an issue in many workplaces.

Former Ofqual chair says education secretary's claim about the effect of comparable outcomes is 'untrue'

Healthwatch says the EMMA system can't understand some patients in Rotherham.

Weather forecasts once gave Britons something safe to chat about. Not any more, and that’s a problem for the experts – indeed, for all of us, says Guardian columnist Andy Beckett

From pidgins to Tolkien and Esperanto, humans have created entirely new languages for many different reasons.

Survey reveals medics were called ‘monkeys’ and ‘dirty foreigners’, and patients refused to be seen by black or Asian staff

Editorial: Literature, the arts and social sciences must not be sacrificed as higher education funding is squeezed